Welcome to Playa Venao. A dozen years ago this remote beach was hardly on anyone’s radar, let alone somewhere people would seek out to live. And yet, the past decade has seen Playa Venao start to take off. Both in terms of real estate development and tourism. Today, it is fast becoming one of Panama’s more popular Pacific coast beaches, and for good reason.

People are drawn to Playa Venao’s wide sandy beach that’s over a mile long for a variety of reasons. Located on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula and a five-hour drive from Panama City, Playa Venao certainly isn’t the closest beach to the capital. But that doesn’t stop it from being a favorite. Nearby towns include Canas, Las Tablas, and the famous Pedasi.

One of the biggest draws? Surfing! This beach community is a very popular spot for surfing enthusiasts thanks to its consistently good waves year-round.

In more recent years, this area has hosted a number of notable surf competitions including the International Surfing Association World Championships. With each great event hosted here, Playa Venao gains more traction with surfers and surf enthusiasts from around the world.

Though Playa Venao is growing, thanks to its increased prominence on the world surfing scene, we don’t expect this to become the next Coronado or Playa Blanca. To date, there are no developments taller than four stories, and both locals and developers want to keep it that way. As new homes and condos are built, there has been a significant effort made to maintain the laid-back, rustic vibe that makes Playa Venao so special.

For those looking to relocate to a relaxing and laid-back beach, it’s hard to imagine a better place than Playa Venao.

While Playa Venao’s full-time population isn’t as large as many other beach towns, those who do call this small beach community home love it for this very reason. During the week it isn’t uncommon to have the beach to yourself. As such, residents can live their best beach-loving lives, without having to worry about crowds most of the time.